- Joined
- Aug 13, 2005
- Messages
- 236
- Purraise
- 1
Age difference of a few weeks, that is... I know that an adult may have more trouble adjusting to a new cat/kitten than a kitten would, but this is the situation:
I adopted Jasmine almost 2 weeks ago, when she was around 7 weeks old or so, from a shelter. My neighbour has two young kittens, about 6 weeks or so at this point, and I'm planning on adopting one of them. I was thinking to wait until it's 8 weeks old at least, which the owner is OK with. It was suggested to me in another thread to let it be with it's mother until it's 11 or 12 weeks, because it'll benefit the kitten. I have no doubts that that's true.
First of all, I don't know if the owner will be OK with that, keeping them that long. Even if they do OK it, is it going to be more complicated to introduce the kittens to each other? Jasmine is about 2 weeks older, so let's say if they are 11 and 13 weeks old, will they have a much harder time getting used to each other and becoming good buddies etc.? I am wishing for a smooth sailing in that area; also our house is so open, with no glass doors to separate them with etc. I kind of feel sorry for the one that would have to be away from the main floor where it would get more attention. But we do have a 2 story house with a finished basement, so it's not that we don't have room, but rather I fear the one will be lonely while the other one gets "all" the attention. It's on the main floor that I do most of my daily chores, giving the kitty attention at the same time.
I guess I don't see what's more important, to let the kitten be with the mother for 3 months or to give them a smooth adjustment to each other so that they can kind a friend in each other and not have to be isolated.
I adopted Jasmine almost 2 weeks ago, when she was around 7 weeks old or so, from a shelter. My neighbour has two young kittens, about 6 weeks or so at this point, and I'm planning on adopting one of them. I was thinking to wait until it's 8 weeks old at least, which the owner is OK with. It was suggested to me in another thread to let it be with it's mother until it's 11 or 12 weeks, because it'll benefit the kitten. I have no doubts that that's true.
First of all, I don't know if the owner will be OK with that, keeping them that long. Even if they do OK it, is it going to be more complicated to introduce the kittens to each other? Jasmine is about 2 weeks older, so let's say if they are 11 and 13 weeks old, will they have a much harder time getting used to each other and becoming good buddies etc.? I am wishing for a smooth sailing in that area; also our house is so open, with no glass doors to separate them with etc. I kind of feel sorry for the one that would have to be away from the main floor where it would get more attention. But we do have a 2 story house with a finished basement, so it's not that we don't have room, but rather I fear the one will be lonely while the other one gets "all" the attention. It's on the main floor that I do most of my daily chores, giving the kitty attention at the same time.
I guess I don't see what's more important, to let the kitten be with the mother for 3 months or to give them a smooth adjustment to each other so that they can kind a friend in each other and not have to be isolated.